


You are the one

by tachiisweet



Series: --the one [MAKOHARU] [4]
Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, i havent updated in 3 years pls forgive me Makoharu, i swear i havent given up on this, its very SLIGHT RINHARU but its because makoto is dumb, makoharu - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 03:07:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22686724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tachiisweet/pseuds/tachiisweet
Summary: “I once asked you, if you would notice if I was gone. Right here. In middle school.” His voice is as gentle as a quilt, as sweet as honey. Haru’s heart melts with the warmth of his voice. “Do you remember?”His heart leaps in his throat, the thumping inside his chest frantic as if he was swimming for his life. “Yes.” He replies. The moonlight creates a shadow that illuminates the tear-stained cheeks when green meets blue. Makoto smiles, forlorn.
Relationships: Nanase Haruka & Tachibana Makoto, Nanase Haruka/Tachibana Makoto
Series: --the one [MAKOHARU] [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/473443
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	You are the one

**Author's Note:**

  * For [arcuri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/arcuri/gifts).



“Do you remember?” 

He asks quietly, laying flat on the floor. The broadness of his back takes up most of the space, but the uncomfortableness is nothing when he gets one more evening with his love. Aside from the gentle hushes of leaves from the summer breezes, the evening sky is quiet today. The stars are almost gone despite the lack of clouds on the unusual summers day. He sighs when he is only responded with a sigh and soft snores. Of course, he wouldn’t remember. It was years ago; a past that is untouchable. The green eyes stare blankly up at the ceiling, without a care to what is to become. This is fate, or perhaps it is divine punishment. For being greedy all those years ago. For being selfish, chaining the sky with the ground. A foolish dream for a foolish, young boy. A boy in love. Maybe in love for too many years.

“Nevermind.”

He sits up, glancing over to watch the sleeping figure rise and fall in its even breathing. He is fooled once more, but it matters not to him. With the intention to prevent Haru from waking, his hands flail on the ground to grab any remaining clothes he may have left on the ground before the lights turned off. The digital clock flashes two am. Another restless night indeed. Ever since the competition and the winning of his two friends, the boy has realised his part in this romance novel. With the night covering his escape, the young adult just manages to squeeze through the doorway with his abnormal height with the fewest of noises despite his size and flee out of his home and down the rocky stairs down elsewhere.

Meanwhile, the even breathing stops and blue eyes flutter open like butterfly wings. He remains still for a moment before turning himself to look where his best friend once lay. He’s up again. His dark hair blends with the shadows of the room, but the startling blueness of his eyes shines as if the moon is residing with the ocean waves. He sits up, rolling his stiff shoulders from the charade. His neck aches but it are nothing in comparison to the heaviness of his chest. Since that night, eavesdropping the tender tears of a broken lover, he has been unable to sleep. New thoughts flooded his mind, overwhelming him as if he was drowning. It has been two months since then. Haru has been preparing for the international stage, and his love has been preparing for a move to Tokyo. A city he will reside in if it means he will be with his lover.

But where did he go this time? Haru stands up, shaking the sleep from his eyes before stumbling downstairs in the quiet household and outside.

>>><<<

In contrast to the warmth of the bedroom, the air is surprisingly chilly and the sky spotless from stars. Many others would call it a bad omen, but the ocean boy believes it may be just the beginning. He yawns, running through his messy locks while taking turns down the narrow streets to the main road. The salt in the air stings his eyes but it’s a sensation he will never reject. At this time, the breeze is stronger with the ocean singing a lullaby. Haru is almost tempted to join them; to sink into the darkness of his obsession. Green eyes appear before his vision and he shakes the thought out of his head. There’s someone worth living for, and that’s enough for him.

Without realising, although not surprising, his footsteps led him back to the beach. Standing there in his Everything. It appears that he doesn’t realise the new presence but that’s ok for Haru. He takes off his shoes, digging his toes into the soft sand while trekking his way towards him. His pace slows when he is closer. When he is near enough to reach for an embrace, does he stop. The sound of crashing waves collides with the nearby rocks and the hum of an ocean spirit is faraway reaches the ears of both men.

“I once asked you, if you would notice if I was gone. Right here. In middle school.” His voice is as gentle as a quilt, as sweet as honey. Haru’s heart melts with the warmth of his voice.

“Do you remember?”

His heart leaps in his throat, the thumping inside his chest frantic as if he was swimming for his life. “ _Y e s._ ” He replies. The moonlight creates a shadow that illuminates the tear-stained cheeks when green meets blue. Makoto smiles, forlorn.

They stay that way. Haru with his shoes in one hand, sand tickling the in-betweens of his toes. Makoto watching him, his green eyes piercing into the soul. Brown hair ruffled by the wind, the droop of his eyes softening his intense gaze. Haru’s heart catches itself in his throat. How can a man be so beautiful? The exquisite features of his face match each aspect of him perfectly. The slope of his nose, the fuller, rounder lower lip and the slight bow of his upper lip. Haru feels a swell of affection and desire despite the heavy aura between the two of them. If it was his way, he’d leap into the other’s arms and bite the pretty words out of Makoto. Alas, it would seem most inappropriate for himself to do something so embarrassing, especially when those same eyes are staring at him in such a way. He almost feels naked despite the oversized shirt that covers more than half of his body already.

It appears that Makoto is losing his touch. Since Haru’s overseas trip, he knows less about who he thought would be his best friend forever. The unwavering gaze, the confident posture. Makoto wants to kiss those hands, twirl him in the air and feel the slender figure between his stronger grip. The previous thoughts have been washed away with the waves the moment Haru appeared behind him at the beach. It makes him want to laugh. How ironic that he is at the beach. Would things be different if he continued to cage the sparrow? It feels almost like torture, watching Haru existing and breathing and living so  _ beautifully. _ It’s unfair. Makoto’s chest hurts again, and he places a hand where his heart is. He shuts his eyes, letting the moment of this take him away back to another moment in their shared past. “You were beautiful.” He begins, the words spilling out of his lips before his mind could catch up.

“You stood there, just as you are now. You stared at me with the eyes of the skies and the oceans. Is that even possible? To be so inhumanly possibly breathtaking,” the hand tightens itself, crumpling the fabric of his shirt. He’s afraid. The truth is coming to light in the darkness of the coming morning. He never wanted to reveal this part of himself. “You… We… I… I have been selfish. And for that, I’m sorry.” His eyes open and they burn with formed tears. Makoto turns to look at Haru. He smiles so widely his eyes squint into crescent moons. “Haru, I have never been the one for you. I’m sorry for caging you here.” He blames for the witching hour; he is always most vulnerable during the hours where no one dares to remain awake. No one except for Haru, so it seems. “I only want you to be happy, Haru.”

Haru’s eyes narrow and the relaxed, nonchalant expression disappears with every fumbling words out of Makoto. What is he saying? What does this mean? Why is he saying such things? ~~Perhaps this is one ocean he'll never tame.~~

The dull thump of the shoes falling into sand wakes Makoto from his smiling. He could barely blink the tears away before he realises Haru in front of him. If he wished, he would be able to brush away the dark bangs off Haru’s face. Or thumb away from the remaining sleep that’s on the side of his right eye. His sniffling comes to a stop as so does his heart, he feels like. “H-Haru?” He stutters, face burning as Haru leans forward. Pale hands raise over to touch Makoto’s one hand still on his chest. Instinctively, the larger hands unwind and fall limp into the grasp of the other. The other hand presses itself against his shoulder. Makoto is in bliss. But even that doesn’t distract him from the abruptness of Haru’s actions.

Haru kind of wants to smack him. The woeful eyes are puppy-like when he stares back in confusion. Is it not obvious enough? Did he suddenly forget what kind of person Haru is like? He sighs impatiently, pressing harder into Makoto’s shoulder. His other hand grips the tanned hands as if he wasn’t careful enough Makoto might just float away. “Makoto.” His voice is raspy from not speaking since his wakening. The thought of water doesn’t even come to his mind when the hand on Makoto’s shoulder travels upwards to touch the stained cheeks. He rubs a thumb under Makoto’s eyes, brushing the remaining tears away. Why is he crying? Why he he saying such things?

Makoto, on the other hand, is still as a rock, as if afraid if he wakes the dream, he is in will wake him back into the harsh reality. But when Haru tilts his head in response, the tall man couldn’t help but comply by raising his other hand to cover Haru’s hand on his face. The silence returns when they stare at each other. A heart-stuttering smile appears on his best friend’s face. Surely, he is in heaven. Haru’s mouth forms words but Makoto is too far away in another realm to take the words in.

He only smiles dopily, to which Haru puffs out shortly in both amusement and irritation. “Makoto.” He repeats, watching the emerald eyes gaze at his face longingly. There’s no need to give Haru that sort of stare; it would mean that he never loved him. “ _Makoto_ , are you listening?” The one-hand drops down from Makoto’s face while grabbing both other’s hand between the two bodies. “Makoto, listen to me.” This seems to shake the man into the moment on the beach.

“Hm? What…” Haru’s lips flicker a smile on his face. How can someone be so endearing?

“Makoto. You never made me feel that way.” He begins slowly, taking careful consideration of what expression his best friend is making. “You have always grounded me.” He wants to say more but his throat suddenly feels dry and the world spins a little. But Makoto’s tight grip on Haru’s hand reminds him why he’s speaking in the first place. When Haru blinks to look directly into his friend's eyes, he feels the world put back in place. Like an anchor in the stormy seas, Haru can always rely on his closest friend. “Haru? Are you alright?” His friend asks, making Haru smile. He nods in reply.

The taller man can’t keep his attention off him. This ethereal beauty, standing here under the moonlight with the sound of the waves to accompany their shared secret. Without thinking, Makoto tightens his hands around the slender fingers. He watches Haru licks his lips in anticipation, leaning a little forward with unreasonable hope. All these weeks, these months of desperately distancing himself away have been for nought. For when Haru demands, Makoto is helpless to the ocean except to drown. “Haru, you don’t need to say anything. I’m sorry for saying something in the first place.” The weight in his chest grows once more and a little bit of reality seeps back into the way he breathes and how hard his grip is. The longer the silence, the worse the weight. Inhaling sharply, Makoto begins to loosen his hands-on Haru, looking down at his feet. “You can ignore this. All of this. I know this is strange, ugly, disgusting…” Once more, the words become impossible to keep secret, “I’m horrible, Haru-chan. I was never planning on telling you this. Truly, I’m happy to be just by your side. Really, being your best friend,” he swallows heavily, eyes closing once more, “being your best friend, is all that I want. So please. I ask you for forgiveness. Please, I’m sorry about this.”

Haru watches the height shrink as if he was a child once more. The relaxed grip makes his heart stutter. Wait, does this mean…? Makoto. He wants to call out, to stop the words from overflowing. A terrible, twisting pain steals his oxygen away. Not even the call of the water can distract him from the ache that refuses to leave his consciousness. Has Makoto been in this much pain? For all this time? It would explain the last few weeks. This would confirm what he overheard the night he followed Makoto home. _Makoto_. He can’t call out his name. It’s impossible for some reason. This is too much. He tries to grab Makoto’s hands but the other man has pulled his hands back close to his side. Haru is stranded. Is this what he will lose? Is this the end of his beginning?

_ Makoto Makoto Makoto Makoto Makoto. _

He begins crying again when he is met with silence. Just weeks ago, before everything in his heart spiralled out of his own control, he would have taken the silence as an answer. It would have been enough for him and Makoto would have gratefully faded away from Haru’s life. Maybe it’s the late hours that’s making him more emotional, maybe it’s the lack of rest he’s been having. Maybe he’s still,  _ foolish foolish boy _ , still desperately clinging to any resemblance of hope. To be able to be by his Haru’s side forever. To be there in the mornings and wake him up, as usual, to watch him swim, to support him, to love him unconditionally. Freely, openly. With no reservations. “I… I’m sorry. Really, I am. I know that I could never be the one for you.” He sobs out, clinging onto his face as the palms of his hands wipe away the tears messily off of his face. “Goodbye, Haru-chan.” He utters with the last of his gasping breath before walking past Haru.

The further he walks away, the more Haru’s feet feel like lead. He stares where Makoto just stood. He can’t even turn to look at the retreating figure. Instead, his mind is baffled by the newfound realisation. He was too late.

It’s been more than an hour, with new colours bleeding into the sky. The moon fading with time. It would have been the perfect moment. The perfect secret, with their perfect love. But it was too late. He’s a coward.

With the guidance of the sea breeze, Haru’s sorrowful words are blown into the air, never to be heard.

“But… you are the one.”

**Author's Note:**

> It has been 3 years... I am so sorry. To those who are still interested and reading this, thank you!!!!!! I might either continue this instalment and continue this storyline or possibly create a new line of makoharu works... we'll see! If this receive attention then I'll continue it.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! I'm a little rusty so please don't mind me :D


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